Table of contents for May 2024 in Pro Wrestling Illustrated

2024 MARKS 24 years since Japanese puroresu legend Mitsuharu Misawa and much of the All Japan roster spun off to form a new promotion called Pro Wrestling NOAH. In the subsequent decades, countless legendary battles have taken place in the “Ark.” Today, NOAH remains one of Japan’s top wrestling promotions. But the company has recently experienced some changes in the main event scene—namely, the exit of Katsuhiko Nakajima in late-2023. Looking toward the future, it’s evident that NOAH needs to create new stars and elevate some who already exist. Here are five wrestlers on NOAH’s roster to keep your eyes on in 2024. IF YOU’VE EVER SEEN him in action, you’ve probably asked yourself why this guy hasn’t been a world champion already. Masa Kitamiya is NOAH’s best-kept secret by…

FOCUS ON … AEW COLLISION COLLISION VIEWER NUMBERS [TNT] December 16: 457,000 December 23: 489,000 December 30: No show January 6: 402,000 January 13: 400,000 January 20: 441,000 ANALYSIS: The Continental Classic demonstrated that AEW has a different breed of fans—those who value athletic exhibitions as much as good storylines. Though the roundrobin tournament took place across all three of AEW’s cable programs, Collision, in particular, increased from 270,000 to 317,000 viewers on November 25, during the first week of the competition. That rose to 451,000 viewers by the second week and a high of 489,000 for the episode featuring the time-limit draw between Bryan Danielson and Claudio Castagnoli. Collision has retained the feel of more of an athletic-based show, resulting in 400,000-plus viewers every week since. NETFLIX’S RAW DEAL…

GREETINGS, GRAPPLE FANS. And welcome to the first-ever edition of “The Irish Whip,” PWI’s new column that will shine a light on all the happenings across the U.K. and European wrestling scene. Growing up as a fan in Northern Ireland in the 1990s, PWI was my only means of learning what was happening in the wide world of wrestling. And now, I’m hoping “The Irish Whip” can help inform others of the latest and greatest in squared circles this side of the Atlantic. Unfortunately, I have to start my first column by mentioning the sad news that the England-based promotion, Wrestle Carnival, has gone on hiatus. Known for its quirky, variety-show presentation, the company staged its last (for now at least) show—Carnival of Champions III—on January 28, in Coventry, England.…

THERE ARE MOMENTS in professional wrestling that can definitely cause acute cases of deja vu for longtime fans. Sometimes, it’s very intentional. And I can say with certainty that this was the case with Lexis King of NXT, formerly known as Brian Pillman Jr. in AEW and MLW. What’s ironic is that even though he no longer uses his father’s name in the ring, King reminds me more than ever of his dad—the man many knew as “Flyin’ Brian” or perhaps more infamously as “The Loose Cannon.” And it’s more than that hair. It’s the whole package: the attitude; the chip on his shoulder; the intensity; the need to prove something to the world. If King makes half the mark on this business that his father did, he could consider…

WRESTLING FANS HAVE come to expect the kind of unforgettable moments that excite, intrigue, and inspire. Big Little Brawlers, a new series from infotainment factory Discovery Channel, purports to do all of these things, aiming to once more bridge the gap between in-ring performance and reality-show drama. We’ve been here before, from nine moderately entertaining seasons of Total Divas to the brain-numbing nadir of Hulk Hogan’s Celebrity Championship Wrestling. But this show takes a different approach. Big Little Brawlers showcases the exploits of various grapplers at Tennessee-based Micro Wrestling Federation, a promotion that claims to be the most successful little-person league anywhere around. Run by Jack Darrell Hillegass and featuring trainer Cody Hawk—the latter of whom is perhaps best known as the man who trained Jon Moxley—Micro Wrestling Federation has…

From Hair to Eternity The compelling story of a WWE champion and her six-foot ponytail, starring Zoe Saldana as Bianca Belair. Full Metal Racquet A look at the shenanigans-filled life of Jim Cornette, with Rob Schneider playing the male lead. Once Upon a Time in Dollywood The life of Tennessee-born renaissance man Jeff Jarrett, starring Owen Wilson as Jarrett and Jennifer Lawrence as his wife, Karen. Gone With the Whinge A feature-length retelling of CM Punk’s time in AEW, with Adam Sandler as Punk, Will Ferrell as Tony Khan, and John C. Reilly as “Jungle Boy” Jack Perry. The NeverEnding Story A dramatization of Cody Rhodes’ protracted chase for the WWE title, starring Jude Law as Rhodes and a large brick wall as WWE’s long-term booking strategy. The Mouth That…

LIKE PEANUT BUTTER and jelly, wrestling and mainstream entertainment are a perfect fit. In recent years, we have seen an uptick of famous wrestlers in blockbuster movies, TV shows, and clickbait headlines. As a reporter for both PWI and the wider entertainment world, I am delighted to bring the latest news about stars of mat, stage, and screen, as we head into what I predict will be a golden era of cinema, television, and more featuring your favorite wrestling celebrities. CLAWING THROUGH AWARDS SEASON Ahead of its nationwide release on December 22, 2023, A24’s The Iron Claw garnered awards buzz alongside such star-studded films as Killers of the Flower Moon, Oppenheimer, and Barbie. Boasting a talented cast of Hollywood thespians—Zac Efron, Jeremy Allen White, Harris Dickinson, Holt McCallany, Maura Tierney, and Lily…

HAPPY NEW YEAR to all my fellow Canadian indie wrestling fans out there! Very happy to celebrate 2024 with a new “Coast To Coast” column. New format, but same great scene! And the year started very well in Canada, thanks in part to a former WWE wrestler. After seven years with the company, Mustafa Ali was let go by World Wrestling Entertainment last September. Three months later, he announced a world tour taking him to stops in France and the U.K., as well as GCW, DEFY, and New Japan. That tour would also bring him to Canada. His Canadian stint started on January 18, in Toronto, for Demand Lucha. In a three-way dance with Jack Cartwheel and Gringo Loco, Ali pinned the latter with a 450 splash. The next night,…

HEAVYWEIGHT 1 SETH ROLLINS (1) WWE World champion Davenport, IA 2 TETSUYA NAITO (-) IWGP World champion Tokyo, Japan 3 CODY RHODES (-) Men’s Royal Rumble Winner  Atlanta, GA 4 MOOSE (-) TNA World champion Atlanta, GA 5 SAMOA JOE (-) AEW World champion  Samoa 6 ROMAN REIGNS (-) WWE Undisputed Universal champion Pensacola, FL 7 EDDIE KINGSTON (-) AAA Mega champion  Yonkers, NY 8 KENOH (-) GHC heavyweight champion Tokushima, Japan 9 KATSUHIKO NAKAJIMA (-) Triple Crown champion Fukuoka, Japan 10 ALEX KANE (5) MLW World champion Atlanta, GA WOMEN 1 BAYLEY (-) Women’s Royal Rumble winner  San Jose, CA 2 JORDYNNE GRACE (-) TNA Knockouts World champion Austin, TX 3 MAIKA (-) World of Stardom champion Fukuoka, Japan 4 GIULIA (3) NJPW STRONG Women’s champion London, U.K. 5 STEPHANIE VAQUER (8) CMLL Women’s World champion  San Antonio, Chile 6 RHEA RIPLEY (1) WWE…

10. NIC NEMETH MAKES A SURPRISE DEBUT AT TNA WRESTLING. While most fans were stoked, Kenny, Mikey, Johnny, and Mitch have finally realized Nicky is never coming back. 9. R-TRUTH JOINS JUDGMENT DAY. To fit in with his new pals, Truth dropped a C-note on eye makeup and temporary tats at the local Hot Topic. 8. HULK HOGAN HELPS RESCUE A WOMAN FROM THE WRECKAGE OF A CAR ACCIDENT. Asked how it felt to be hailed as a reallife hero, Hulk shrugged and said, “Whatcha gonna do?” 7. JACK PERRY SHREDS AEW CONTRACT AT AN NJPW EVENT. Still full of adrenaline, he also tore up his menu after ordering a late dinner at a nearby Cheesecake Factory. 6. THE YOUNG BUCKS EMBRACE THEIR ROLES AS EVPS AND LAUNCH A RIVALRY…

WTF IS GOING ON? LESS THAN 24 hours after the shocking news that “The Rainmaker’s” contract was set to expire at the end of January, rumors persisted that a certain former World of Stardom champion might also depart Japan. To make sense of all the buzz and chatter, PWI Editor-in-Chief Kevin McElvaney sat down with Contributing Writer Karen Peterson. MCELVANEY: An awful lot is going on right now at New Japan Pro-Wrestling and World Wonder Ring Stardom. A lot of talk about talent changes … one we know for sure. It’s hard to believe, Karen. You have Kazuchika Okada, who has been for many years now the heart and soul of New Japan. leaving at the end of January. What are your thoughts when you hear that? PETERSON: God, it…

ONE OF THE LATEST additions to the rebranded TNA Wrestling is also the “Youngest In Charge”—the 19-year-old British upstart Leon Slater. Late last year, the Bradford, England, native signed his contract in the middle of an IMPACT ring with President Scott D’Amore, himself, which shows just how special and important Slater is to the future of that company. Every time Slater enters the ring, he shows exactly what the X division is and has always represented. But he didn’t get to that point by mistake. Dazzling fans all over the U.K, having some of the best matches of 2023, and winning championships in multiple promotions led Slater to where he is in 2024. Last July, he defeated Liam Slater (no relation) for the NORTH championship. And he ended 2023 by…

FOR MORE THAN a half-decade, I’ve dominated West Coast professional wrestling. On Saturday, January 13, I took the show on the road — finally making my calculated debut in Florida’s Coastal Championship Wrestling. Where better to do such a thing than at NWA x CCW: Viva Revolution, a showcase of top talents from CCW and the National Wrestling Alliance? Long a proving ground for wrestling legends, icons such as JJ Dillon, Sir Oliver Humperdink, and Percival Pringle III, tested their managerial mettle in Florida. Now, the always cunning and oh-so-stunning Pollo Del Mar joins their ranks. It’s time to properly introduce the East Coast and “The Last Territory” to pro wrestling’s last great manager. As my empire there grows, “The Sunshine State” will realize it has a new Queen … and…

From local independents to the largest stages, here’s the latest roundup of live event results. Got a report you’d like to share? Send to pwiresults@yahoo.com (and please do your best to mirror the format used here). SPOTLIGHT CARD OF THE MONTH QUEBEC LAVAL—WWE Holiday Tour: Becky Lynch defeated Zoey Stark … Kofi Kingston beat Ludwig Kaiser … Women’s tag team champions Katana Chance & Kayden Carter defeated Chelsea Green & Piper Niven to retain … Omos pinned R-Truth … Women’s World champion Rhea Ripley defeated Ivy Nile and Shayna Baszler in a triple-threat to retain … Sami Zayn beat Finn Balor by DQ … Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn defeated Dominik Mysterio & Finn Balor … Ricochet pinned Bronson Reed … Cody Rhodes defeated Damian Priest in a Last Man Standing…